Aim To Be A League Champion!
by BrightNova169
Summary: After defeating Stephan, Ash decides to get serious about winning the Unova League. But when fate forces him to rely on his Unova team, he must draw upon past experiences to achieve victory? Can he win the Unova League? Or is his win streak about to end? AU after "Strong Strategy Steals the Show"


**This fanfiction is inspired by the web series 'How It Should Have Ended,' where popular movies have alternate endings by having certain characters act logically or realistically to key situations. It's just more serious than the usual episodes.**

 **Ash won't be super smart or OP. Just more competent for this story.**

 **So, let's make this a League to remember!**

 **I don't own any part of the Pokemon franchise except this story.**

 **Aim To Be A League Champion!**

 **Top Eight: Ash vs. Cameron**

Ash's face was still stuck in an excited grin as he remembered how Krookodile's newly learned Aerial Ace helped clench him a win against Stephan and Sawk. He was once again thankful for nearly every Unovan city and major town having access to a Battle Club allowing him many opportunities for special training.

Out of all his current battles, Stephan had certainly given Ash a good run for his money. Between having a diverse team and each member being exceptionally trained, the Kanto trainer knew he couldn't afford to bring anything less than his A-game.

Looking back however, Ash couldn't help but feel that maybe Trip might have offered a greater challenge. Sure, Serperior was strong and had nearly defeated Pikachu, but somehow the battle didn't seem to be as fulfilling as it could have been. After all the conflicts they had across Unova – swamping him in arrogance, aloofness, and contempt towards his hometown in nearly every meeting – Ash had been hoping to have a full battle to make the Unova trainer reconsider his opinion of him.

He mentally shrugged at the anticlimactic battle. Either way, he could track down Trip after the league if he wanted a rematch. No major loss either way.

Besides, he knew he had bigger fish to fry. Namely, winning the rest of the Unova League.

The Pallet Trainer knew taking home the gold would not be easy. Especially with strong trainers like Virgil and Cameron still remaining. They had powerful teams and wouldn't go down without a fight.

But then again, neither would his team. After everything they faced in Unova – from an unusually serious Team Rocket trio to saving the Swords of Justice from Kyurem's imprisonment and aiding Meloetta – Ash swore he would show what a trainer from 'the boonies' could do.

OOOOO

After the final third round match concluded with a Jellicent getting lit up like a Christmas tree by an Eelektross – which was surprisingly not a Water-type – the announcer ushered every remaining competitor to look to the screen. The icons of the eight remaining trainers lined up before being shuffled amongst each other.

In the waiting room, Ash looked up to the screen with a look of intense focus. He wondered who would be his next opponent in the quarter-finals. Though anyone who could make it this far would be no walk in the park, only Cameron and Virgil stood out amongst the nondescript crowd.

Aside from Dino. Ash briefly wondered why he never encountered the rough looking trainer more often. He put up a great fight in Nimbasa Town, and that was months ago. He could only imagine how awesome a battle with that guy would be now.

Ash snapped out of his excited state to resume his focus on the screen. Finally, after what seemed like hours of shuffling, the trainer icons were paired off.

And Ash's opponent was none other than the light-hearted rookie Cameron.

A surprised 'huh' escaped Ash as he glanced towards Cameron, matching his determined frown. Both had a feeling they'd eventually face off.

Ash's frown gave way first to a more competitive smile. "Cameron, ready for tomorrow?"

The smile was returned. "You bet, Ash." A silent agreement was formed.

Don't hold back.

Ash tuned out the announcer going over the details of the quarter-finals and beyond. After all, this was his fifth League. He already knew the ropes for how to approach future battles.

Six-on-six, starting tomorrow. That was fine with him. He could cycle out his teammates who helped secure victory over Stephan to give them a well-deserved break.

Ash had considered using his older Pokemon to battle and actually planned for it. After remembering his performances in Hoenn and Sinnoh, he noticed the differences in each League.

Specifically, how his teams carried on.

In Hoenn, he would admit he got pretty cocky by choosing to just rely on his newly caught Hoenn team rather than any of his veterans. All for the sake of giving his new members a chance to shine and not wanting their efforts to be for nothing.

Ash mentally grimaced. In hindsight, that was a pretty stupid reason.

Even more stupid was the fact by constantly having his Hoenn Pokemon take on each battle, they didn't have much time to rest. Sure, there was usually a two day delay between the early rounds, but that rest period disappeared once the Top 16 rolled around.

Worse was the fact that the Ever Grande Conference had Double Battles. Meaning he had to use two Pokémon for each of those battles. That burned out his Pokémon much faster than usual.

Ash counted himself lucky that his team didn't suffer any serious injuries or exhaustion during that time. Even one loss would've spelled disaster for him and resulted in a much lower ranking.

…At least to his knowledge. After all, he ultimately lost to Tyson in the Top 8. Granted, Tyson had a team of well-trained Pokemon, with one of them being a Metagross. But that didn't change the fact that he never bothered to use anyone else like Snorlax, Bayleef, or even Charizard. Oh, definitely Charizard. His oldest Fire-type would've made short work of that metal titan, the same titan that took nearly half his team to beat. The same titan that ended his conquest in the quarter-finals.

Sinnoh was where he stopped holding back. In the Lily of the Valley Conference, he decided to learn from his mistake and brought back his old friends. And what a difference that made.

Each round, Ash had all sorts of Pokemon to choose from. Not only did this have the benefit of preventing most of his opponents from forming specific strategies to counter his team, but it even allowed his other Pokemon to rest up after each battle.

Good thing too, since his final battle with Paul had left most of his Sinnoh team exhausted. Especially Infernape. After everything the fire monkey endured in that fateful clash, it would've been too much to ask for his help in the semi-finals.

Too bad he had to face Tobias.

While Ash refused to be a poor sport about his crushing loss in the Sinnoh League, he still felt rather bitter about it. Granted, at least part of his defeat was because of how he built his team. He felt that if he included a better lineup, maybe he could've come out victorious and even won the Sinnoh League. If not, maybe he'd have taken down more than just Darkrai and Latios.

Still, he felt pride at his team's accomplishment of bringing down two Legendaries. Nobody in the previous conference could even get past Darkrai, not even the runner-up.

But he wasn't reminiscing for the sake of good times. He was looking back to improve his battling style. No, to improve his performance in the Unova League. Perhaps it was time to bring back some old friends. Professor Oak would be more than happy to lend him some of his old fighters. In exchange, he'd give the man a chance to study Unova Pokemon.

It was time to bring back the old guard.

OOOOOO

"I'm sorry. For some reason, our teleporters were recently damaged," Nurse Joy apologetically replied. "Until we get the systems repaired, I'm afraid you won't be able to transfer Pokemon from outside of Unova." True to her word, the teleporter machines had been fried. Exposed wires were sparking and some of the metal plating was burnt.

Ash was startled by the sheer timing of such blatant vandalism and bad luck. This couldn't be happening. "What!? How did this happen?"

"We're not quite sure. Somehow our systems went haywire right before the third round battles began. While the damage wasn't extreme, some of the programming was compromised." The nurse's face became contemplative. "The strange part was that the security teams found out no humans were responsible for this."

Ash's brow furrowed in thought. "So, a Pokemon did this?"

The nurse nodded, "Most likely. Though we aren't sure which one was responsible. The Herdier haven't been able to locate any evidence whatsoever."

After a moment's thought, Nurse Joy continued. "The only species that could have gone unnoticed in this action would be Joltik due to their small size and instinctive need to feed off electricity. However, we make sure to hold our centers to high technical standards, ensuring no Pokemon nests form in our facilities."

"We would have used footage from our security cameras, but they shorted out briefly before resuming. All we noticed was that the teleporters turned a strange shade of orange before they were compromised."

Ash's eyes widened at the last sentence. "Orange!? That sounds like a Rotom!"

Nurse Joy's eyes zeroed in on him. "A Rotom? If you have any information about this, it would be greatly appreciated."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I came across a Rotom while I was in Sinnoh. Somehow, they can enter machines and control them." His face turned sheepish, "But it was only one encounter, so I don't know too much about 'em."

The nurse felt relief at the knowledge of a lead. "All right. I'll be sure to let Officer Jenny know. Thank you for your assistance."

As she headed to share her information with the security teams, she faced Ash once more. "I'm sorry that the teleporters can't connect to your home, but hopefully we'll have them fully repaired by the end of the League."

Left alone with Pikachu, Ash headed over to a nearby table to sit down.

"Man, I was really hoping to bring back a few of our friends for tomorrow. They would've been so psyched to battle in the League." Pikachu could only help but pat his trainer's back sympathetically. He too would've been overjoyed to see his friends in action once more.

What went unspoken was Ash's doubt in his Unova Pokémon helping him achieve victory in the League. Oh, they were determined, that much was true. But they lacked experience. Experience he was sure his opponents had over them in spades.

Virgil and Dino definitely stood out there. The way they carried themselves proved they had been through their share of battles and tournaments already.

Not to mention, his team wasn't quite as strong as the one he formed in Sinnoh. Likely due to the fact that he had caught far more Pokémon this time around. Normally, he'd capture just enough for a full team. That method allowed him to more easily keep track of his team members and their training, ensuring nobody fell behind. But with nine new Pokémon and getting Pikachu back into shape, Ash had a difficult time handling team rotation.

The result was that nearly half of his members seemed to lag behind the others.

Scraggy was understandable since he hatched over half a year ago. Granted, he had been growing in leaps and bounds, but he was still Axew's go-to sparring partner. Much as it pained Ash, the little Fighting-type was the least fit for future rounds.

Snivy and Oshawott hadn't evolved despite Tepig doing so near Iccirus City. While Ash would never force his Pokémon to evolve, he wouldn't deny that evolution would be a boon for them. It might even help to compensate for their current move sets, which were lacking in diversity. He remembered how Cameron's Samurott came through against Marlon and how much trouble Trip's Serperior gave him.

Palpitoad had probably gotten the worst of it. Despite being one of his evolved Pokémon, he was hardly ever used in battle. True to form, the toad had a fairly poor win record, usually tying at best. That was definitely his fault.

Thankfully, Ash Ketchum was known for bouncing back. With renewed determination and a serious look on his face, he rose up from his depression ready to fight. "Well then, if we can't call for help from back home, we'll find a way to win." He looked at Pikachu. "Buddy, we've been in tough spots before, but I know we'll make this work. Are you with me?"

Pikachu nodded with fierce determination. "Pi-Ka!"

Ash smiled, "Well then, let's get to work."

After all, there were only so many hours in the day and his battle with Cameron started tomorrow.

But the Unova League was about to learn one important thing: even with the odds against him, Ash Ketchum wasn't one for giving up.

OOOOOO

Ash knew he wasn't the most studious person, a fact Gary loved to needle him about in the past. However, at Pikachu's insistence – courtesy of some poking, then a tail slap upside the head, and eventually a small (for him) Thunderbolt – he found himself in a nearby computer room.

Personally, he would've preferred to go straight to a secluded area for some last minute training. But his starter made a point on directing him to the computers first. Apparently, research was in the cards.

Even though he had started using such methods in Sinnoh, staring at a computer screen for hours on end to study his opponents was beyond boring. Not to mention hard on his muscles, sitting in one position for so long.

Still, if he wanted to win this league, Ash knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. Relying on just his memory of Cameron's team wouldn't be enough.

After all, his entire performance through Unova vouched for that. All the blunders he could have avoided, all the losses, all of that was on his head. He still couldn't figure out why he went through with some of his actions.

Namely, his battles with Trip and Elesa's Gym Battle. To him, they were the moments he had been kicking himself over the most.

Ash furiously shook his head to rid himself of his self-deprecation. This was no time to get caught up on his past mistakes. All he could do now was acknowledge what he did wrong and forge ahead.

The Kanto trainer had managed to locate Cameron's trainer page on the Vertress Conference site. One thing he learned was that once competitors reached a certain point in the tournament, they were allowed to research their opponents in depth. From past league experience to Pokémon owned, it was a plethora of information any competitive battler would be all over in a heartbeat. And Ash was determined to make use of any information he could find to ensure his victory in the Top 8.

As a part of him came to expect, Cameron had only started his journey this year. While he never stated it out loud, Ash thought that his opponent wasn't battling with a full team on most occasions. Especially where he took several seconds to snap his headband against his skull to somehow gain a flash of inspiration.

A flash of inspiration that would normally be common sense for most trainers. Though Ash supposed he had little room to talk there considering many choices he made in the past.

Instead of allowing himself to wallow in more negative thoughts, he focused his attention to Cameron's team. The Pokémon he'd need to beat to advance to the semi-finals. He wanted to match his previous record from Sinnoh, after all.

And as much as he liked Cameron, he really didn't want to lose to him. Gary would likely never let him live down losing to a guy that mistook a remote control (why he brought that into the wild, he'd never know) for a Pokédex.

But in a way, the excitable kid he met right after the Junior Cup was endearing in his own right. If anything, Cameron reminded Ash of himself when he was still a rookie. Brash, hyper, and prone to acting without thinking. Granted, he still possessed those qualities, but believed that they had been toned down somewhat over the years. For that and the fact that Cameron was nothing but amiable to him during their few times together, he couldn't hate the guy if he tried regardless of his exasperating moments.

But this wasn't a time to let his friendship override his priorities. Cameron was his next opponent, and he would make sure to prevent his rival from achieving victory.

First in the lineup, he saw Riolu, Samurott, and Ferrothorn. He remembered them well from his first encounter with Cameron and the Humilau City Gym Battle.

Riolu seemed to be Cameron's starter with how the two seemed to interact with each other. In a way, Riolu was like Pikachu. Always more observant and grounded to keep his trainer on the right path yet never lacking in enthusiasm towards new challenges or meeting new friends. Already, Ash was wary of facing the Emanation Pokémon.

From what he remembered, Riolu's evolved form was Lucario. A Pokémon Ash knew was capable of incredible battle prowess regardless of experience. While he never personally trained one, he knew their combination of Steel and Fighting would make them extremely formidable in offense and defense. And that said nothing about their ability to harness Aura. Having seen several well-trained Lucario in action – the ones possessed by Sir Aaron (may they rest in peace), Maylene, and Riley – Ash had a feeling the small Pokémon would be a big problem.

Ash knew that a Pokémon evolving mid-battle could easily turn the tide. Considering how a timely evolution usually helped him pull through many events, he knew that fact could be used against him. At that, he resolved to prioritize defeating Riolu the moment it was sent out.

Next was Samurott. The fierce sea lion was truly a magnificent warrior of the waters. This made him eternally thankful when he learned that the Unova League was not going to change the battlefield terrain from anything other than a basic dirt arena. Facing a Pokémon like that with a terrain advantage would be a nightmare, especially with his current Pokémon.

He decided to pull out his Pokédex to learn more about this Pokémon.

 **"** **Samurott, the Formidable Pokémon,"** the monotone Pokédex voice responded, **"and the final evolved form of Oshawott. In the time it takes for a foe to blink, it can draw and sheathe the seamitars attached to its front legs."**

Ash felt rather uneasy at the facts he learned about his new foe. If Cameron's Samurott were capable of such a feat, then speed would definitely be of the essence. He'd definitely need Pikachu to beat it. Though he would need to err on the side of caution since the blades that Water-type possessed were likely stronger versions of Oshawott's scalchop; likely able to deflect Electric moves with ease.

But the part about evolution and Oshawott seemed to make him feel even worse. For all Ash knew, the little river otter wanted to evolve and be just as strong as the Pokémon he was researching. Despite how he felt, he'd wasn't about to let Oshawott face down that Pokémon at all. Not only for the fact that he would definitely be outmatched, but the battle might bring any hidden envy to the surface.

Remembering the words of a battle long ago, the aged trainer known as Drake repeated, " _The battlefield is no place for distractions."_ Ash knew he had to heed those words to win. If Cameron decided to send out Samurott, then he'd have to make sure his little Water Pokemon wasn't on the field until after the Formidable Pokemon fell. He couldn't afford any distractions in this showdown.

Ferrothorn was a major contrast from the first two. Unlike the others, it was covered in bulky spiked armor and supported itself with three vines that ended with spiky metal disks. It seemed to be more like Torterra; capable of enduring and delivering heavy hits to compensate for poor speed.

Activating the Pokédex once more, the device spoke, **"Ferrothorn, the Thorn Pod Pokémon and the evolved form of Ferroseed. They attach themselves to cave ceilings with spiky feelers, firing steel spikes upon targets below them. A strike from these feelers can reduce a boulder to rubble."**

Already, Ash was gifted an unpleasant image of his Boldore being brought to ruin from the heavy bludgeons. For all of Cameron's scatter-brained behavior, he caught a tough Pokemon.

Looking further into the Pokemon's entry, he saw that Ferrothorn's typing was Grass/Steel. Definitely a job for Pignite. And since its ability was Iron Barbs – similar to a Sharpedo's Rough Skin – close combat moves were out of the question.

Not that he planned for it anyways. Ferrothorn's armor looked to be too tough to break through with brute force.

Further scrolling through Cameron's profile revealed the final three members of his team. The first two being Watchog and Swanna.

Remembering his Gym Battles with Lenora and Skyla, Ash knew both Pokemon could easily pose a threat in the right hands.

The former had utilized her Watchog to keep the battle on her terms, preventing Oshawott from escaping while half awake. While Ash had learned that the illuminating Pokémon wasn't known for being a powerhouse, it compensated with utility moves. Moves to support its fellow teammates and cripple opponents with status conditions.

When he had looked through his Pokédex after his first loss to the Nacrene Gym Leader, he discovered in a moment of unfiltered horror that Watchog was capable of learning Hypnosis. A move like that would have surely spelled defeat for him at that point. None of his new Pokémon had the means to counter the sleep-inducing move.

The horror was further exacerbated from the discovery of Watchog's potential to use Super Fang. A move that would pierce even the most stalwart of defenses, able to seriously injure any Pokémon with one blow.

Even if Watchog seemed to be the least impressive species wise, Ash wasn't about to let himself be caught off guard again by the Normal-type.

As for Swanna, the graceful Flying-type was definitely skilled in aerial combat. Not to mention how it was able to easily beat Pikachu during his Gym Battle. It even had a strategy to defend against Thunderbolt, for crying out loud! He could certainly see why Swanna was Skyla's ace Pokémon.

If Cameron's Swanna had even a fraction of that level of skill, then Ash knew he'd be facing an uphill battle.

However, it was the final Pokémon that gave him pause. A pause that began to form a deep core of dread in his stomach.

What he saw was a tri-headed beast of dark colors and sporting six massive wings. Predominantly black and dark blue, its eyes were an eerily bloody shade of red with a few vertical stripes of fuchsia scales upon its massive torso. Their heads mounted with jagged fuchsia collars, further enhancing their terrifying visage, as if they were blossoming flowers of death. Each mouth filled with razor sharp fangs that could rip apart any unfortunate soul that got within feeding range.

The dark beast of inexhaustible devastation: Hydreigon.

Ash had only encountered the Dragon-type three times, but each meeting taught him to approach the Pokémon with a great deal of caution normally unlike him. As he knew, Dragon Pokémon were among the apex of nearly every species, Legendaries and Mewtwo excluded. From the sheer power they could utilize to their blinding speeds, to say nothing of their volcanic ferocity whenever someone was stupid enough to earn their ire.

But a Hydreigon stood out amongst all the Dragon-types he had ever come across. In fact, only a Salamence could rival its thirst for destruction or violence. Even when the triple headed beast could be calmed, it didn't change the fact that such a Pokémon could easily snap at a moment's notice.

That, and he had to face one tomorrow. No doubt Cameron expected it to be a key player in his plan to win.

What Ash needed now was a plan to beat this monstrosity. And to his horror, his options were extremely limited.

Krookodile and Leavanny – each armed with super effective moves – were already out due to needing rest from defeating Stephan's team. Even if the former had won both of his rounds with minimal damage, sending one of his Pokémon out in anything less than top form would be a disaster.

Musing for a bit, he figured that might have been the reason why Charizard fell to Harrison's Blaziken. Fighting three fully evolved Pokémon back-to-back would take a toll on any battler.

Palpitoad likely wouldn't be agile enough to avoid attacks. Granted, he could try to wear it down with Supersonic and poison from Sludge Wave, but there was no guarantee the statuses would take effect quickly enough.

Scraggy…no. No. Absolutely not. Scraggy was nowhere near ready for an opponent of that level. In fact, the hatched fighter was done for the league. From here on out, all of Ash's opponents would be top tier fighters. He admired the work his little headbutter put in during Unova, but he was easily the least powerful and experienced of the team.

Ash was reluctant to do so since Scraggy would be upset, but he didn't want to put his Pokemon at unnecessary risk. He'd find a way to make it up to his Pokémon somehow.

The only remaining members were Boldore and Pignite, each armed with Rock Smash and Brick Break respectively. While each member was equipped to deal super-effective damage to the fully evolved dragon, Pignite was likely the better choice. Not that he didn't have faith in his taciturn Rock-type, but Pignite's Flame Charge could give him the necessary speed to outmaneuver the mighty dragon and achieve key moments to deal significant damage.

Then again, that was only if Pignite didn't have to endure a head-on clash against Hydreigon. That would probably result in Pignite getting knocked out, which would put him at an even worse disadvantage.

Ash frowned in thought, scraping the recesses of his mind for some kind of idea. Despite the power possessed by one of Unova's most feared Pokemon, Hydreigon was not invincible. There had to be some weakness he was overlooking.

"Hey, Pikachu," Ash asked his starter, turning his head to the mouse, "Think this Pokemon has any weaknesses? You might be able to catch something I've missed."

The electric mouse crossed his arms, closing his beady eyes in thought. What kinds of weaknesses could this behemoth possess? It had enough power to bring down a Dragonite single-handedly; a feat that took the combined efforts of several of Ash's Pokemon to accomplish, himself included. Multiple type resistances which would allow it to shrug off nearly anything without issue. Three heads to potentially launch multiple attacks without issue…

As if on cue, Pikachu could feel the metaphorical light bulb atop his head switch on.

 _The heads._

An event that happened a long time ago in a region far, far away from Unova. The Big P Pokemon Race, a marathon event that promoted cooperation between trainer and Pokemon to earn the gold. An event where his trainer's entry helped to foil the dastardly plans of that greedy Dodrio rider.

While the cheater's name was irrelevant, the memories of that Dodrio were invaluable. Namely, how the heads had bickered over eating their fair share of food at the rest station.

Perhaps this Pokemon would prove that three heads weren't better than one.

Pikachu turned to his trainer, doing his best impressions of Hydreigon's multiple heads bickering with each other angrily, complete with snarling and roaring noises. Though to anyone else who overheard his vocal animations, it sounded and looked like a cute Pokemon making an unsuccessful attempt at practicing ventriloquism without puppets.

Thanks to their bond of many years, the gears began to turn in the mind of Ash Ketchum. The trainer focused with rapt attention on his friend's actions, assured and relieved that Pikachu had discovered a weakness.

But due to the unfamiliar animations, it became a game of charades that took Ash several minutes to decipher.

"Wait…are you trying to point out the heads?" Pikachu nodded vigorously. His trainer was on the right track.

As the mouse simulated his hands into attacking him and returning the pseudo-violence with some nips, Ash finally made the connection.

"It's the heads! They don't get along!" At that declaration, Pikachu cried out in ecstatic victory. Finally, his trainer understood!

"This is great! Thanks, buddy." Ash whooped. "Now that we know how to take on Hydreigon, we need to get some training done."

Ash glanced to a nearby clock. Seeing it was a quarter after five, his eyes bugged out of his skull. They had been here nearly three hours!? The young teen couldn't believe how fast time flew by. While he certainly wouldn't say his time in the computer area was unproductive, he wasn't expecting to spend nearly half his remaining day trying to pinpoint a flaw in one Pokémon's fighting capacity. This was not good. If he didn't get some time to inform his Pokémon of what to expect, let alone prepare them for the upcoming battle, his team would be entering the quarter-finals blind, unprepared to handle Hydregion.

"Oh man, we've been here too long! C'mon Pikachu, we gotta get some dinner!" At that, Ash snatched his little buddy before bolting to the cafeteria.

OOOOO

"Ugh, could you not stuff yourself like that Ash? You're such a kid," Iris griped. While the Dragon trainer wasn't exactly one to be preaching table manners, one could pardon her when they witnessed the sight of Ash heedlessly scarfing down his food at warp speed. Sandwiches, berry tarts, pizza slices, bowls of noodles, even roasted vegetables seemed to vanish from the face of the planet once the gluttonous Ketchum's hands made contact.

Cilan bore a look of concern. "Iris is right, Ash. You should try to slow down before-"

As if to finish the connoisseur's warning, a stray fragment of food decided to enact one final moment of rebellion against its inglorious termination. After all, such a culinary delight as itself deserved to be savored, to make one's palate sing in delight upon the deliverance of exquisite flavor. Yet this **_garbage disposal_** of a human decided to render its destiny null and void by unceremoniously wolfing it down, ignoring its flavor.

Ash's feeding frenzy screeched to a furious halt. Dropping the burger in his right hand, he began hacking and gasping for air. Each wheeze sounding like a dying car engine, exasperation was quickly replaced with horror. Alarmed, Cilan rushed over to the trainer's side.

"Ash! Hold on!" Cilan pleaded. Remembering situations from the Striaton Café that usually involved such heavy eaters, the grass-haired chef learned early on the value of the Heimlich Maneuver. Taking position, he balled his fists before pumping hard into Ash's stomach.

After a few tense gut-wrenching seconds of abusing the trainer's stomach, Ash provided a demonstration of projectile motion theory. The vulgar, saliva covered piece of half-chewed chicken breast launched across to a neighboring booth, splatting a nauseous puddle of oral fluids and meat juices on the window and a plate.

The lone occupant, a nondescript young man (1), slowly pushed his tarnished plate of half-finished food away. His appetite utterly ruined, he placed a few bills on the table and left, grumbling about teens and melodrama.

Once Ash had made a visible recovery from his near death via gluttony, Iris glowered at him while baring her suddenly fang-like teeth. "Ash, what were you thinking!? This is beyond acting like a kid, you nearly killed yourself! The world isn't going to end anytime soon to need to act like a Watchog preparing for hibernation! Don't you have any sense in your head!?"

Ash shied away with a guilty look. "Sorry, guys. I didn't mean to get you worried. I just lost track of time while preparing for tomorrow's match. I just wanted to grab a quick bite before getting in some last minute training."

Iris's glare relented only marginally. "Well, you won't be able to train your Pokémon if you end up choking on your own food. If you really needed to get some training done, you could have just asked us to save some food for you."

The guilt within Ash only compounded. Hindsight was certainly kicking him right now. "Yeah, guess you're right…"

"Was that why you were trying to eat so quickly?" Cilan asked. He was hardly fazed by Ash's appetite these days, but the rate he had been devouring his meal was quite jarring. "What exactly spurred you into such a frenzy? In fact, you seem very tense. Did something bad happen?"

Ash was about to blurt out his answer before devolving into a sputter of coughs. The food had yet to let him recover from his recent ordeal.

Cilan held up a placating hand. "Don't talk right now. Just take a few moments to breathe and calm down."

After managing to get his breathing to acceptable levels followed by a glass of water, Ash managed to regain most of his composure.

Cilan nodded in approval. "Good. Now tell us, what had you worried?"

His breath was still slightly frantic, but no longer at risk of a coughing fit, Ash spoke, "I need to prepare my team to face Cameron's Hydreigon tomorrow."

Cilan's eyes widened in surprise with a surprised gasp. Iris…

"WHAT!?"

…Had a more intense reaction. Ash was a bit worried her eyes might fall out if they popped out any farther. Not to mention how her exclamation was punctuated by both her hands slamming down on the table, hard enough to actually crack the surface. Oh, and she was leaning in rather close with a look of utter disbelief.

"Yeah, I was surprised too," Ash said, rather uncomfortable with Iris so close. "I was planning to bring some of my older Pokemon over from home, but the teleporters are toast. That's why I needed to get to training as soon as possible."

"But why not use Krookodile? His Dragon Claw would definitely help beat Hydreigon!" Iris seemed to have calmed down a bit though she was still leaning over the table.

Ash shook his head. "I can't risk it. Krookodile already fought Stephan today and I don't want to exhaust him. Besides, if he got hit hard enough, his shades might break. If that happened, he'd freak out and wouldn't be able to battle well."

At that, the wild girl finally relented, slowly sitting back down. Ash made a good point there. Krookodile still couldn't seem to manage a confident attitude without his glasses. And if one of his best fighters got distracted, Hydreigon would make quick work of him.

Ash continued on. "I also can't risk Leavanny either. He fought super hard against Sawk and took some bad hits in the process. Swarm only activates if Leavanny is low on health." His face grimaced. "Relying on that wouldn't be a good idea either since Hydreigon seems like a Pokemon that could score a one hit knockout. I've also seen that a lot of Dragon-types have a Fire-type move to counter their weaknesses to ice." Iris stiffened momentarily at the mention of her primal fear, unable to formulate any further arguments.

Ash's face then grew dark with a seriousness neither companion had seen before. "And I'm definitely not sending Scraggy to fight either. I don't care if he's got a type advantage, he's not ready for something like that." The trainer's look became mixed with shame and guilt. "I really should've learned before that battle in Eindoak Town…"

In response to their confused looks, he replied in a weary tone, "The battle where Scraggy faced Carlita's Hydreigon?"

Confusion gave way to recognition and discomfort. That had been quite the mismatch before Victini's interference. The little Fighting-type was lucky his opponent was so mild in nature. A mauled Pokemon would've definitely ruined their week.

"Basically, all the Pokemon I used to battle Stephan need to rest and Scraggy will need to sit this battle out." Ash spoke up, breaking the silence. "That means I've got Pikachu, Snivy, Oshawott, Boldore, Pignite, and Unfezant for tomorrow. I'm pretty confident in Pikachu and the last two, but the others are going to need some work."

"They put in great work all through Unova, but they'll need more power to stand up to Cameron's team. And so far, they lack that power. Even though I've been working hard to improve my team, I realized I won't be able to do it on my own anymore. I'll need the help from the people I trust to win my next battle." To punctuate that moment of clarity, admitting his shortcomings to his friends, Ash gave each companion a significant glance. To the two, their services were needed, not just as a sign of acknowledging their abilities and helping someone in need, but as proof they had earned the trust of someone dear to them.

He faced the green triplet. "Cilan, I'll need your help with training Oshawott and Boldore. Stunfisk and Crustle share the most similarities."

Cilan gave a confident smile. "Well then, we'll be sure your training is to your liking."

Then Ash faced the dragon girl. "Iris, maybe you could help Snivy. I've got an idea for her too and you're the best person for the job."

Taken aback initially, Iris recovered with a determined nod. "Sure, but what did you have in mind?"

Ash's eyes twinkled in anticipation. "You're about to find out."

OOOOOO

The Vertress Stadium was jam packed with spectators the next day. The lucky fans who could grab a seat in the arena were cheering in ecstatic glee at the beginning of the quarter-finals. They knew that the battles were about to become intense and had saved their enthusiasm ever since.

Not that they had been holding back. Oh no, especially after seeing such a small foreign Pokemon overcome a massive Serperior in the first round. That was a sign that this year's League would be nothing short of epic. If something like that had happened early on in the Conference, then the fans could only wonder what was in store for the full battles.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back to another amazing day at the Vertress Conference!" The announcer cried out in unbridled enthusiasm, ready to spectate for more amazing battles. "Hope you're all rested for today because we've got some pulse-pounding battles ahead of us!"

As expected the crowds got riled up even further, demanding what the man was promoting.

"All right everyone! Get ready for today's first match between Cameron from Western Unova's Flocessy Ranch (2) and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, all the way from Kanto!" As the declaration concluded, the competing trainers took up positions on their sides of the battlefield. Each of them stared the other down with looks of confidence and focus, both determined to triumph.

Cameron was the first to speak up. "Hope you're ready, Ash. I've got a secret weapon that's sure to blow you away!" He punctuated this by priming a Poke Ball.

' _A secret weapon named Hydreigon, no doubt,'_ Ash quipped internally. Even if last night was a rushed training session, he was confident in his ability to handle anything Cameron threw at him. "Really? Sounds like you're getting serious." Ash might have given a more enthusiastic response, but he had spent a few more hours training into the night than he expected. This made his attitude rather subdued, but he refused to let his fatigue take over.

Luckily for him, Cameron didn't seem to notice the nuanced behavior. "You bet I am. I've been psyched to face you in a full battle!"

The referee stepped up to his post. "The Red Trainer will release his Pokémon first." Waving his flags, he signaled the match's start. "Begin!"

At this, Cameron's eagerness doubled. "Alright, let's go Swanna!"

The graceful Flying-type took to the skies, already taking an advantageous position for battle.

Ash took a moment to analyze the situation. It looked as if Hydreigon was going to be saved for later. A part of him had expected Cameron to show his hand immediately, but if not, he would work with this. Besides, this would be a good chance for his other teammates to shine.

Concluding his thoughts, he threw out a Pokeball while calling out, "Boldore, I choose you!"

Boldore's gravelly cry of 'Bol-dore!' was rather subdued compared to Swanna's graceful but resounding squawk, but that meant little in the long run. Not when Ash knew the Ore Pokémon was about to put their training to good use.

The pictures of Swanna and Boldore materialized on the scoreboard, each taking their positions with their respective trainer's sides.

"A Rock type? All right, Swanna! You've got this!" Cameron cheered, inspired by his shallow interpretation of the situation.

Oh, if only Cameron knew what was in store for him. His mood would definitely not be as optimistic.

"I'll take the first move!" Cameron said, eager to get the battle started. "Swanna, Bubblebeam!" Swanna began to spew a concentrated stream of bubbles, all zeroed in on Boldore.

It certainly wasn't the most intimidating Water move out there, but that move would cause considerable damage due to the Rock-type's water weakness. In fact, this was probably the best move Swanna could have used.

Ash decided to put his plan in motion. "Boldore, Sandstorm!"

His sturdy Pokémon began to whip up a powerful gale of sand, obscuring him from view. But hiding wasn't part of the plan. No, instead it was about weakening the power of the furious bubbles jetting towards Boldore. Their trajectory was already slowing down due to the whipping winds before popping harmlessly away from his Pokémon.

So far, so good.

"Well, despite a rocky setup", Ash barely held a groan back at the announcer's bad pun, "it looks like Boldore managed to shore up a good defense against its weakness to water!"

"What!? Sandstorm can do that?" Cameron wondered, having already recoiled in surprise. He really thought a Water move would be enough to help him beat the Rock-type.

Stephan gave a nod of approval. "Neat trick. He managed to deflect a super effective move with just Sandstorm."

Bianca gave an eager nod. "Ash must have worked super hard to make Sandstorm work like that."

"Actually," Iris interjected, "Ash worked on that last night."

The blonde gave a look of surprise. "Just last night? That's even more amazing!"

Ash ignored Cameron's question with a command. _'No distractions.'_ "Rock Slide, let's go!"

Silvery-white portals opened up in the skies, allowing large boulders to rain down upon Swanna. Normally, Swanna might have noticed the attack from above, but the altered weather began to serve its other purposes by buffeting the White Bird with forceful bunches of sand. Furthermore, the sand had been obscuring its perception by blowing in all directions, making any attempt to see through it useless.

"Swanna, watch out!" Cameron cried out helplessly, hoping his Pokemon would be able to dodge. While Swanna managed to fly away from a couple of rocks, one eventually clipped its left wing causing its altitude to drop.

Ash decided to take advantage of the opportunity for another decisive blow. "Boldore, Rock Smash on the rocks!"

Boldore's stubby right arm glowed with a furious red energy as he leaped towards a nearby boulder. With a mighty cry of "Dore," the blow reduced the large rock into debris that shot its way to Swanna, pelting the bird relentlessly from the improvised scattershot.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Cameron cried out another attack, "Pluck, Swanna!"

"Swaaan" was the White Bird's reply, elegance somewhat absent having been jarred by the resourceful attack. Swanna's long beak glowed with power before diving in to deliver some precise blows on the Pokemon who kept it from its domain.

This recklessness played right into Ash's hands. Ash waited a couple seconds for the charging Pokemon to get closer, Boldore already preparing for the direct clash by initiating Iron Defense, the metallic sheen running across its rugged body for a second. Not that Cameron could tell due to Sandstorm still obscuring the field's full view.

"Wait for it, Boldore," Ash warned, pausing for a moment. "Now! Rock Smash!"

Finally, the two fighters clashed, beak to rocky stump with powerful blows. Although Swanna's Pluck was more effective than Rock Smash due to the logic of typing, the logic of physics proved to be insurmountable as the much heavier Rock-type powered through with greater mass and defense. The White Bird was sent flying a good distance, face bruised from the enhanced attack, whereas Boldore wasn't even scratched; its defenses having served it well against physical damage.

Refusing to lose momentum, Ash called the final blow. "Rock Slide, finish it!"

Boldore called for the sky to fall once more, substantial rocks crashing upon the still dazed Flying-type.

Luckily, Swanna's head was still visible despite the majority of its elegant form being buried underneath the weighted stones. But that didn't change the fact its spiraled eyes meant it was done.

Lifting the green flag, the referee made his call. "Swanna is unable to battle, Boldore wins!"

At the call, Swanna's icon was blacked out on the screen, shrinking to a smaller size. Fans began cheering over the impressive battle, not having seen such a clever defense against ranged moves before.

"Good job, Boldore." Ash congratulated his trusty Rock-type. Though he knew the battle had just begun, Boldore had pulled through without much trouble. It was only fair he give his Pokémon some praise for doing so well.

As Swanna was returned, Cameron made his next choice. "Go, Ferrothorn!"

Out came the bulky Grass-type, its spiked appendages digging into the field, unfazed by the copious amount of rubble scattered across the arena.

Realizing the change in situation, Ash raised his Poke Ball. "Boldore, return." As the Rock-type was returned, Ash reached for a different Poke Ball, ready to keep his win streak alive. He wasn't about to give even an inch if he had anything to say about this.

Hurling out his next choice, he cried out, "Pignite, you're next!"

Out came the Fire Pig, his snout snorting a few embers while stamping the ground in excitement. "Pignite!" He excitedly grunted out, flexing his stocky arms.

Icons for each Pokémon made their way onto the electronic board, signaling the next matchup.

The referee gave the signal, "Battle begin!"

Ash decided to claim the initiative this time. "Pignite, Fire Pledge!"

Pignite punched the ground with his fist before columns of intense fire erupted in a path towards the still stationary Thorn Pod.

"Dodge it, Ferrothorn!" Cameron's call for an evasive maneuver were all for naught. Ferrothorn pushed its heavy body as quickly as it could, but as nature proved once again, Ferrothorn was never destined for speed.

And thus, it was eventually engulfed in a column of intense fire, being thoroughly roasted by its quadruple weakness.

"Ferrothorn!" Cameron cried out, trying to encourage his Pokémon into recovery. He took on an intense look as he closed his eyes, preparing his signature strategy mantra. He slowly pulled his headband forward…

While Ash decided to seize the day. "Flamethrower!"

The sudden declaration caused Cameron's grip to slip early, the forehead fabric accidentally snapping back over his eyes. "Gah, who turned out the lights!?"

As the rookie flailed helplessly, Pignite subjected Ferrothorn to another dose of its firepower with a powerful blast of flames rocketing towards it at intense speeds. Ferrothorn, grimly aware of its fate, could only stare in abject horror at the quickly approaching attack before crying out in pain. "Thorrrn!"

And just like that, the last of Ferrothorn's strength left it, the steaming body collapsing to the ground unconscious, thoroughly roasted like a Christmas chestnut.

The green flag rose once more. "Ferrothorn is unable to battle, Pignite wins!"

 _'_ _Two down, four to go.'_ Ash thought to himself while watching Cameron return the defeated Grass/Steel-type. He was off to a good start right now, but he wasn't about to let his guard down. Hydreigon still hadn't appeared yet and its absence so far was making him anxious.

Even with the strategies he formed last night, he still wasn't sure if he could defeat it without significant losses.

Cameron scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin, "Eh heh, sorry about that, Ash. I guess I kinda lost focus there." All he was met with was a focused stare, leaving the trainer in orange somewhat uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what caused his opponent to become so serious. It just seemed weird seeing his new friend not as laidback as before.

Deciding to save that thought for later, he primed another Poke Ball. The youngster (3) sent out his third Pokémon with renewed energy. "Come on, Samurott!"

The Formidable Pokemon appeared with a fierce battle cry, leaving the crowds both excited and terrified at its dramatic entrance. It stared down Pignite, who was tensed up from the other Pokémon's glare.

Ash raised Pignite's Poke Ball, "Pignite, return!" As Pignite was withdrawn from battle, Ash felt himself getting more frustrated at the delay of Hydreigon's appearance. Was it only going to be brought out after all his Pokémon were worn out? He would admit that would be a bold yet risky strategy.

The last time he attempted to defeat a trainer's entire team with one Pokémon was against Paul at Lake Acuity.

That didn't end well, to say the least.

His next choice surprised nobody, "Go for it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu leapt off Ash's shoulder onto the battlefield with sparking cheeks. Even when the Water-type fixed him with its steely gaze, the Mouse Pokémon refused to waver. Having faced down the likes of threats ranging from J's Salamence to even Arceus the creator, such a Pokémon paled in comparison.

Somehow, it seemed that despite the blatant type disadvantage, Cameron appeared to have complete confidence in his Pokémon. Ash supposed it was due to having overcome Marlon so easily weeks ago.

But then again, this wasn't a water battle.

"Alright, Samurott! Go for Razor Shell!" Cameron commanded with a dramatic point of his index finger.

The Formidable Pokémon drew a seamitar at nearly untraceable speeds, catching Pikachu off guard with a water-imbued slash. Pikachu rolled across the ground before getting on all fours to dash in with Quick Attack, weaving around the slashes before slamming into Samurott's less armored stomach.

When Cameron saw his Pokémon getting beaten by Pikachu's speed, he figured the best way was to fight fire with fire. "Use Aqua Jet!"

At that, Samurott launched at Pikachu encased in water. Pikachu quickly fell back onto an old trick to avoid damage, namely rolling to the side like a bowling ball. Like he was facing the overkill-happy Raichu, Aqua Jet missed entirely, surprising Samurott and its trainer. With that, the Electric-type capitalized on the opening with a colossal Thunderbolt.

Ever since their gym battle at Striaton City, Pikachu was aware of the defensive capabilities of Oshawott's scalchop. Particularly how it could deflect ranged Electric attacks, something Oshawott would take advantage of in their numerous spars. But that was only when the boastful Water-type could react fast enough. If caught off guard or distracted, he could easily be brought down with a well-placed electrocution.

Working on that theory, Samurott's weapons were likely just as capable of deflecting his signature ranged move. Which meant that surprise was the key element to victory.

And Pikachu had plenty of experience in surprising his opponents.

"Pikachu! Grab onto Samurott!" Pikachu complied, latching onto Samurott's back while the former was still stunned by the super effective attack.

Ash felt bad about what would follow. But the competitive part of him wanted to win, and to win, he couldn't afford to play nice.

"Thunderbolt, full power!"

"Pi-kaaa- _CHUUUU_!" The familiar battle cry was followed by thousands of volts of electricity coursing through the struggling Samurott, who roared in pain from every part of its body screaming in agony. Clearly, the Water-type wasn't experienced in enduring fierce Electric attacks due to likely deflecting them with its weapons, let alone one of Pikachu's caliber.

Once the electrocution ended, Samurott fell, its (4) unsheathed seamitar clattering harmlessly on the ground.

The green flag rose once more, "Samurott is unable to battle! Pikachu is the winner!"

"And another shocking display of skill brings down Cameron's Samurott! Ash Ketchum is not messing around, folks," the announcer commented, impressed by the foreign trainer. The audience cheered even louder after witnessing Ash's battle prowess, surprised at such a mighty Pokémon falling to something so small. Some of them even began chanting his name. "We could be looking at a flawless victory if Cameron can't turn this around!"

Hearing the possibility of losing without managing a single knockout did nothing to assuage the losing trainer. Cameron growled in frustration while recalling his defeated Pokémon.

His frustration was cut short by a paw touching his free hand. Looking down, Riolu gave his friend a concerned look. While the Emanation Pokémon had an uneasy look on his face, having been shaken up by Samurott's one-sided loss, he sent a small pulse of aura to Cameron, sharing his feelings of determination. Riolu breathed a sigh of relief as his message was transmitted. His friend's aura had been full of nothing but depression and frustration (5), even if he was masking it well.

With a short breath, Cameron reigned in his temper. "Sorry, pal. Just getting frustrated that we're losing so bad. It's just that Ash seems to be able to counter anything we throw at him… Can you handle it?"

Nodding, Riolu entered the battlefield ready to take on Ash's electrical warhead.

"Looks like Riolu is Cameron's fourth Pokémon! Can this little blue wonder turn the battle around or is it going to become another lightning rod?" The announcer's question got everyone on the edge of their seats, eager to see what the pint-sized Fighting-type could do. Despite the diminutive sizes of each battler, a thunderous clash of the titans was expected.

Before the battle started, Ash decided to make a withdrawal. "Pikachu, come back for now! You did great!"

Pikachu scampered back to his friend while Ash chose the next member for battle.

Ash knew he had the battle going in his favor and his next choice would reassure the crowds, and himself, that he'd be advancing to the top 4. "It's your turn, Unfezant!"

The faithful Flying-type trilled upon her quarter-final debut, quickly taking to the skies. She matched a steely gaze with the Emanation Pokémon below, ready to fulfill her part of the plan. Namely, defeat Riolu before he could evolve. Otherwise, she'd make sure to soften him up for the rest of the team. But then again, victory was the only option.

Her personal pride wouldn't accept defeat here, especially in front of such an audience.

"Begin!" came the referee's declaration.

"Unfezant, Aerial Ace!" Ash called out, sweeping his right arm out.

The Flying-type dashed through the air, homing in on her blue target with streaks of white streaming around her.

"Dodge and use Vacuum Wave!" Cameron countered. At the last moment, Riolu somersaulted over the speedy attack before launching a pressurized wave of air towards the Proud Pokémon.

Unfezant circled around to locate her missing target only to go squawk in surprise seeing the priority move making a beeline towards her. With a somewhat awkward aerial roll, she only suffered a few grazed feathers. Though that maneuver was enough to make her more wary of her opponent.

Cameron racked his brain for some answer to defeating his powerful opponent. As he quickly looked over the battlefield, he noticed some stray rocks lying around.

Getting an idea – surprisingly without his 'headband snap' – he called out, "Riolu, Circle Throw the rocks at Unfezant!"

Riolu barked an affirmative with a grin, finally glad to have a plan. While Circle Throw was meant to be used on a moving target – turning an opponent's momentum against them – Riolu decided to put his own spin on the technique. Specifically, by grabbing a fair-sized rock and spinning around before releasing it into the sky. He repeated the process by dashing over to other rocks of similar size and began hurling them towards Unfezant.

"Unfezant, Air Cutter!" Ash commanded, not willing to let himself get blindsided by Cameron's resourcefulness.

Ash's flier launched a barrage of light-blue crescents, cleaving the rocks into harmless pebbles. The air blades continued their descent towards Riolu, who ducked and flipped his body to avoid damage.

Refusing to give up after a failed attack, Cameron pushed on, "Copycat, Riolu!"

As the Emanation Pokémon finished his impressive acrobatics, his mind replayed the information for Air Cutter, scenes of the past few seconds blurring by. Then, his body began to glow a familiar sky blue, producing an x-shaped razor of energy towards its flying adversary. For good measure, Riolu decided to amplify his copied attack with Vacuum Wave for extra speed. Surely, his opponent wouldn't be able to dodge that.

Unfortunately for the bipedal Pokémon, female Unfezant were known for their superior flying skills. Even when faced with the speed-boosted Air Cutter, Unfezant dived down as the cross of doom harmlessly sailed into the sky.

"Unfezant, combine Quick Attack and Aerial Ace!" Ash fiercely commanded, not wanting to waste any more time. There was no telling when Riolu would evolve and if that happened, he'd have to deal with two fully evolved Pokémon.

Unfezant became a gray blur when combining her two speedy moves. Streaks of white blazed behind her, the speed of her combo attack causing a dust storm to trail the rapid Proud Pokémon. Even when Riolu prepared to counter with Circle Throw, Unfezant flickered out of sight. The perplexed Pokémon was then immediately blindsided by a powerful impact, sending it sprawling across the ground.

"Hurry, Unfezant! Air Cutter!" Ash cried out anxiously. His gut feeling of something going wrong was starting to make his insides churn.

Spinning out of her blitz, the quick bird launched her own cross of air blades at the struggling Riolu. The force of the attack carved trenches in the arena before exploding on impact.

"No! Riolu!" Cameron cried out in worry as his partner tumbled roughly, unmoving.

The referee gave a brief look to the downed Pokémon and brought the green flag up again. "Riolu is unable to– "

A small grunt interrupted the final verdict as Riolu slowly pushed himself to his feet. Both trainers were amazed at the Fighting-type's determination, willing to salvage his friend's losing battle with the odds stacked against him.

"That's it, Riolu! You can do it!" Cameron encouraged, hoping against all odds his oldest friend could pull out a win. "You've never backed down from a battle before! And I know you won't give up now! Let's show them what you're made of!"

Fueled by the passionate speech of his trainer's faith in him, Riolu finally managed to stand, gritting his teeth at the damage he sustained. He wasn't about to let his trainer down, not when they had worked so hard to get here. Swinging his paws outward, he found his second wind with a roar of determination.

And with that, his bond with Cameron reached its peak.

Riolu's body was surrounded in the evolutionary energy, quickly causing him to more than double in height and his limbs to lengthen. With longer ears and metal spikes protruding from his yellow-black torso and back palms, Lucario gave a defiant growl, ready to battle once more.

"Unbelievable! Folks, we got to witness the power of friendship at work with Riolu's evolution into Lucario! This just might be the break Cameron's been looking for!" The crowd got stirred into a frenzy of excitement upon the announcer's assessment while Ash stared in muted shock as one of his worst scenarios came to be.

Quickly shaking off his surprise, Ash began planning around his opponent's good luck while taking action. "Unfezant, keep up Air Cutter!"

"Rio- I mean, Lucario! Aura Sphere!" Cameron commanded gleefully.

Blade air crescents clashed with a densely vibrant azure sphere before the former were overpowered, allowing the aura attack to strike its target with a resounding bang.

Though Unfezant fell from the skies, she recovered her bearings with some difficulty. With long range no longer being viable, close combat was the best option.

"Unfezant, Aerial Ace!"

Unfezant flew at Lucario once more, attempting to strike him from the sides, knowing a frontal assault was a bad idea. However, Lucario saw her coming.

"Lucario, Force Palm!" And as the command indicated, so did Cameron. The evolution brought not only new power, but enhanced reflexes which allowed the Aura Pokémon to stand his ground better against the Flying-type.

At Unfezant's current speed, Ash knew she wouldn't be able to dodge the powerful Fighting move. So, he decided to go for broke. "Unfezant, speed up with Quick Attack!" He cried out, hoping the speedy move could allow his Pokemon to overpower Lucario.

Squawking with determination, Unfezant closed the shortening gap in a flash, her beak colliding with Lucario's empowered paw. The explosion kicked up a huge dust cloud with both combatants flying backwards from the clash. Lucario dug his paws into the ground to keep himself from falling over, panting hard from the speed blitz he endured.

Unfezant was thrown for a loop out of the cloud, hitting the ground. Thankfully, she managed to recover, shaking her head at the powerful impact. She managed to get airborne for a few seconds before her body was racked with shocking arcs of yellow energy.

"Oooh, looks like Unfezant got paralyzed from that Force Palm!" the announcer crowed. "How's Ash going to handle this now that his flyer's lost the speed advantage?"

' _By switching out_ ,' Ash bitterly thought. He was already kicking himself for his poor decision. He knew Lucario was going to be much stronger in physical combat and gained a resistance to Flying moves, yet he still had Unfezant charge in. If he had been smarter, he would've gone for a repeated use of Air Cutter or Gust to keep Lucario at bay until he went down.

But there was no undoing his mistakes. All he could do was go forward with a better plan. "Unfezant, return!" The Flying-type was withdrawn by the red beam while Ash drew upon his fifth teammate.

"Alright, Oshawott! I choose you!" Ash called out as he released his Water Pokemon. The River Otter Pokémon appeared with a confident smile, his stubby arms posing on his hips.

When he saw the rather imposing Lucario, some of that confidence faded.

"Oshawott, you can do it!" Ash encouraged, hoping to nip that issue in the bud.

Hearing his trainer's faith in him rallied his courage once again with greater assurance.

As soon as the match began, Cameron went for the first move. "Lucario, use Force Palm!" he shouted, pointing towards Oshawott.

"Rrragh!" Lucario advanced upon Oshawott with a glowing blue palm, ready to hopefully paralyze another one of his opponents.

However, Ash wasn't keen on having another one of his teammates getting paralyzed. "Oshawott, spin and Razor Shell!" he commanded as Oshawott began to form a blade of blue energy from his scalchop. At the last moment, Oshawott jumped towards Lucario, spinning around the palm strike before riding the momentum to swing his blade across Lucario's side. The Aura Pokémon slammed down onto the ground, but pushing up to keep fighting.

"Lucario, hurry and use Aura Sphere!" Cameron cried out worriedly, realizing his partner's evolution wasn't going to help pull him through. As Lucario began to charge up its newest attack, Ash knew he had his opponent right where he wanted him.

"Oshawott, use Scald!" Ash cried out, letting some excitement bleed into his voice. As soon as the Aura Sphere was launched, Oshawott countered the projectile with a powerful stream of boiling water. With some effort, Oshawott eventually pushed back the orb, making it explode upon a surprised Lucario.

"Osha!" The River Otter Pokémon puffed his chest out with pride seeing his attack succeeded. Though he quickly resumed a more serious look since he knew he was handling an important battle, tensing his little form in anticipation.

The smoke cleared to reveal a more battered Lucario, who crossed his arms at the last second to avoid a full hit. Though the bruises on his arms told the match would not last much longer.

"C'mon, Lucario! Use Copycat!" Cameron ordered, desperation already setting in. Lucario's mind replayed the recent series of events again, covering his body in a deep blue aura. From his palms, he conjured a torrent of steaming water.

"Match it!" With a deep breath, Oshawott unleashed his own Scald to halt the copied move. Both fighters poured their energy into overpowering the other's ranged attack, refusing to lose ground.

Knowing his attack would soon fade, Lucario decided to break the stalemate by channeling aura into his water flood, causing the attack to double in force and glow a brilliant shade of sapphire. Eventually, the enhanced jet of water closed in on Oshawott, dousing the poor Water Pokémon in burning water.

Oshawott kept himself from being swept across the arena by digging his scalchop into the ground, fighting through the pain of the boiling liquid. This was definitely one of the hardest battles he had ever fought. But surely if Ash said he could do it, then he could do it. He would do it! All that training with Pignite last night to learn Scald and prepare for today wasn't about to go to waste.

And he would start by getting some payback on his opponent.

As a fierce glow of red surrounded Oshawott, he burst out of the Scald attack with a powerful swipe of his scalchop, ending his burning bath. Oshawott dashed towards Lucario with a fierce look in his eyes, driven by a desire to win and seek vengeance for having had to suffer his own move.

Cameron noticed this and called out, "Heads up, Lucario! Use Circle Throw!"

As Lucario prepared to use the throwing move against Oshawott, he was caught off guard by the River Otter Pokémon squirting a quick burst of Scald at his face. On instinct, Lucario brought his paws up to guard his face only to howl in pain at his bruises being subjected to further abuse.

This distraction was all Oshawott needed as he had finally closed the gap and dove at the Aura Pokémon, furiously bashing Lucario about with heavy blows from his scalchop. The assault was then finished with a fierce cry of "Oshaaa-WOTT!" smashing Lucario with an upper strike underneath his jaw, sending him flying through the air.

While Ash was curious to learn about Oshawott's new move, he didn't want to waste an opportunity to win. Fighting through his empathy to not kick Lucario while he was down, he called out to his Water Pokémon, "Oshawott, use Scald!"

The airborne Lucario was then nailed by another pressurized blast of burning water, ensuring his landing was anything but graceful. Although the Aura Pokémon struggled to get back to his feet, his determination was snuffed out by his body suddenly combusting before collapsing from exhaustion.

 _'_ _Huh, I was wondering when the burn would happen.'_ Ash had been a bit disappointed the burn status hadn't been inflicted earlier to save Oshawott some trouble, but he let it slide. He was just glad it happened and helped him win.

"No way…" Cameron was rendered speechless after seeing his partner fall. Even after achieving evolution and fighting so hard against two of Ash's Pokemon, Lucario had still been defeated. It was at this point he knew that things were very grim.

The referee gave Cameron's Pokémon a second look over before making the call. "Lucario is unable to battle, Oshawott is the winner!"

While Cameron was struggling to comprehend his situation, Ash was very pleased with Oshawott's second wind and having learned Revenge. He had been meaning to teach him a better move than Tackle, but for some reason, it kept slipping his mind.

"Way to go, Oshawott! That was amazing!" Ash congratulated, causing Oshawott to bashfully rub the back of his head with a small blush. Sure, Oshawott was prone to being prideful, but he really deserved the praise. Even if Lucario had been weakened from fighting Unfezant earlier, the little Water-type had done a great job sticking to the plan and toughing out the battle.

Cameron helped Lucario over to his section, allowing his partner to rest from a hard battle. The exuberant trainer was now incredibly solemn, realizing that Ash held a commanding lead over him. And with Lucario's defeat, the odds were definitely stacked against him.

"I'm sorry, buddy." Cameron muttered to Lucario. "Just…get some rest. You did amazing. Leave the rest to me."

Hearing his trainer's voice feel so hollow, Lucario managed to lift a paw to his hand once more, as if to assure him things would be all right. After all, it wasn't like him to just give up.

Eventually, Cameron got the message as he cast aside his mounting despair, gaining a look of determination. Even if Ash had a full team left, they had all been fighting hard and had to be tired. The youngster knew this would be his final attack.

"Green Trainer, please select your next Pokémon."

Cameron froze upon hearing the referee's request. Did he just say _next_ Pokémon? He must've heard wrong.

"Hold on a second, what do you mean 'next Pokémon'? Isn't this a 5-on-5 battle?" Cameron's question was immediately met with a look of initial confusion followed quickly by a look similar to whenever Lucario noticed he made a horrible decision.

"No, once the top 8 begins, all battles in the Vertress Conference are 6-on-6." Ash had been trying his hardest to keep his focus solely on the battle. And while he normally wore his heart on his sleeve, the Kanto native felt he did a pretty good job overall. But when he overheard Cameron's worried questioning, his control finally gave way by palming his face with his right hand, Pikachu mimicking his trainer's exasperation. When he thought his rival hadn't been battling with a full team all the time, he didn't expect it to be that true.

Even Oshawott was surprised from what he heard, eyes going blank from shock. How could his opponent be so stupid!?

"Well then…uh, this is rather awkward. It looks like Cameron has accidentally handicapped himself by bringing only five Pokémon to his battle! Which means that Cameron's next choice is going to be his last hope!" Even the normally boisterous announcer was caught off guard by Cameron's absent-minded moment. Soon enough, most of the audience was becoming rather vocal with their annoyance at such an amazing match being spoiled by a careless error.

"Seriously!? How did Cameron forget that?" Stephan was gobsmacked by the announcement. Of all the surprises he expected from this battle, this was not one of them.

"And since this is Cameron's last Pokémon, there's no way he can win!" Having seen Lucario and Samurott fall, Bianca felt rather sure of her assumption since both of those Pokémon had overcome her team earlier in the tournament.

While Iris was stewing in annoyance at Cameron's stupidity, mumbling about how he was 'such a kid', Cilan was more focused on the situation. "Still, he has one Pokemon left. That one choice could be the saving grace for his currently spoiled meal."

Cameron, taken aback by his now realized self-handicap, looked up to the scoreboard once more. To his horror, the screen did not lie. Each trainer's picture was surrounded by six Poke Ball icons, with most of Cameron's team greyed out to signify their defeat. Ash's side still had the rest of his team's images faded but not lacking color, none of them having fainted earlier.

"Green Trainer, please select your final Pokémon or you will be disqualified." The referee's ultimatum snapped Cameron out of his despairing thoughts, reminding him he had a battle to finish.

"Uh, right! Give me a sec!" He looked to Lucario, who had already finished expressing his exasperation. "Well buddy, I screwed up pretty bad didn't I?" Rubbing the back of his neck, Cameron schooled himself with determination. "But we've got one last chance to turn this around."

Lucario nodded, knowing what his trainer had left to bring out. If anyone could turn this around, it would be _him_.

Cameron faced Ash with a serious look, something that was quite alien for the former. Ash braced himself. "All right, Ash," Cameron spoke up, preparing his last Poke Ball, "I'm not going to hold back anymore. Get ready 'cause it's secret weapon time! Go!" With that, he threw the sphere.

From the burst of the Poke Ball's light, the dark dragon appeared, its roars reaching every corner of the stadium. Annoyance evaporating immediately, the audience gasped in surprise and awe upon witnessing the rare Pokemon taking center stage. Dragon-types, let alone fully evolved ones, were rare entries in a League. Especially under the care of a rookie.

Outwardly, Ash smirked in satisfaction. Inwardly, all his systems were on high alert. This was it. "Oshawott, return!" Recalling his friend, he gave his thanks before switching into his dragon counter.

With a deep breath, he called for the Pokémon of the hour. "It's time, Snivy! Go for it!"

Snivy materialized onto the field, her arms crossed in confidence. "Snivy." Her gaze remained steely while sizing up her considerably larger and more aggressive opponent. She refused to be intimidated by such a beast; it would be out of character for her.

"Whoa, a Hydreigon! Ash is gonna be in for a tough battle!" Stephan exclaimed, startled by the dragon's dramatic battle cry.

"And Ash chose Snivy to battle it?" Bianca was certainly worried since Snivy was battling a Pokémon in a much higher weight class. "What is Ash thinking? Snivy isn't going to be a throw-away, is she?"

Down on the field, Snivy's eye twitched at Bianca's question. How dare that girl imply her purpose was to be a glorified punching bag? If anything, that would be Oshawott's job.

At that, Iris smiled. "It's fine. Ash had a plan ready for this." Despite her confident reply, even she couldn't shake the feeling things might not go as planned.

Cameron decided to take the first move. "Hydreigon, use Tri Attack!" The drake launched three beams of elemental energy upon Snivy, the forces of ice, lightning, and fire screaming their way to ensure a quick and destructive knockout.

"Just like we planned, Snivy. Vine Whip!" Ash commanded, as Snivy's vines grew out of her collar. In combination with her jump, the vines slammed the ground to increase her air time. The beams exploded upon the ground, missing their target entirely.

Cameron was stunned to see the Grass-type's quick maneuver. How did that happen? Ash only commanded Vine Whip, so why didn't he attack Hydreigon? Heedless of the trick, he decided to muscle on. "Hydreigon, go for it! Dragon Rush!" Instantly, Hydreigon became engulfed in vivid blue energy, taking the form of a fierce dragon – slanted dark eyes and jagged wings included – before flying at Snivy at full speed. Surely Snivy wouldn't be able to dodge an attack while in midair.

Sadly for the evolved Pokémon, Ash had other plans. "Leaf Storm!"

Thankfully for Ash, Snivy was always a quick study. Angling herself, the cunning Pokémon unleashed a small but potent spiraling gust of leaves. However, the attack didn't deter Hydreigon's aerial charge.

What it did do was alter Snivy's airborne path, allowing her to lose altitude quickly enough to just dodge the brutal ramming attack and reach the ground faster. With a double backflip, she managed a perfect landing, crossing her arms while glancing back at her opponent.

The dragon eventually cut off its rush seconds later, the heads looking around for their target. Wasn't the next move supposed to have hit?

An opportunity presented itself. "Snivy, Vine Whip again!" Snivy jumped up once more and lashed the dragon's back multiple times. The dragon recoiled in pain, eventually facing its now smug faced opponent with a furious expression.

Fighting the urge to utilize his headband snap again, Cameron decided mix things up. "Use Dragon Pulse!" Abandoning close range fighting, Hydreigon flew up higher for a better view of the battlefield before unleashing an orb of draconic energy. The orb jetted its way towards Snivy, who effortlessly sidestepped the projectile.

Frustration started to mount up again in Cameron. "Dragon Pulse, back to back!" What soon followed was a massive barrage of sea green spheres raining down from the airborne dragon, intent on blasting Snivy into unconsciousness.

Yet Ash didn't give a command. All he did was cross his arms, watching the spectacle unfold before him.

"What's this? Ash isn't giving Snivy any commands to follow. Even in the face of such a bombardment!" The announcer voiced the general confusion of the crowd at Ash's inactions.

The exceptions were the remaining competitors and Ash's friends.

 _'_ _Dodging without commands? Not bad, kid.'_ Dino had some time before his next match began and decided to stick around, scoping out his competition. Seeing Ash's Pokémon operating independent of commands earned the young trainer a few points in his book. If he faced the kid in the next round, Dino would have to bring out the big guns.

 _'_ _Amazing. Hydreigon hasn't even managed to touch Snivy even once.'_ Virgil had been surprised by Ash's supposed ignorance towards the constructed mismatch, but as the battle progressed he began to see Ash in a new light. Not as some overzealous rookie, but as a seasoned trainer. And he also began to see what Ash was aiming for.

Hydreigon were known far and wide across Unova as natural juggernauts, possessing incredible potential in close and long range combat. They could learn all sorts of moves to prepare for any conceivable situation, moves that could even help to cover their type weaknesses. Their six wings allowed them to easily maneuver around countless battlefields, ignoring all forms of landlocked obstacles or hazards. Combined with their immunity to all forms of psychic manipulation, this was a species guaranteed to lay waste to all but the most powerful opponents.

But for all their power, they were by no means invincible. Granted, most Hydreigon that fell in battle, non-lethally or otherwise, lost due to being overwhelmed by much stronger opponents. The Dragon-type was not known for its skill, but its tenacity and unrelenting rage. And as Virgil knew, even determination had limits. If Hydreigon was unable to even land a blow on Snivy, its power was pointless.

And its rage. Rage was definitely a main source of Hydreigon's power, but only if it was kept in check. If not controlled, the dragon would resort to any and all forms of obliteration to bring down its foes. But its reliance on rage meant that more intricate strategies would be difficult for it to utilize or adapt to.

Perhaps in some way, Ash had chosen the best counter to Cameron's secret weapon. Matching power with guile, brawn with brains.

Ash just watched on as Snivy kept ducking and weaving through the energy attacks, none of them managing to touch her. _'Hydreigon might be strong, but all that power doesn't mean anything if it can't hit its target.'_ It was just like his rematches with Lt. Surge and Sho, each major trainer had been so focused on raw power, they neglected to use any significant mobility. This allowed Pikachu to easily dodge around attacks until his opponents were exhausted, unable to defend against a counterattack.

Already, the training session was working its magic. Teaching his Pokémon to dodge attacks without commands unless necessary was proving very useful. Besides, Snivy was smart. She didn't need someone telling her to dodge a powerful attack. She had plenty of experience guiding herself already.

Instead, Ash gave a different command. "That's enough, Snivy! Leaf Storm!"

"But Leaf Storm was already used. Won't it be weaker than last time?" Bianca wondered.

"Yeah," Stephan agreed. "And that last Leaf Storm didn't do much to Hydreigon. What's he planning?"

Iris and Cilan looked at each other, silently confirming that Ash was about to make a counterattack.

A Leaf Storm was created again, but much larger and with a greater intensity. A massive cyclone of verdant foliage bellowed its way from the ground up, sure to strike a devastating blow to the flying behemoth.

However, Snivy focused the storm to instead encompass the incoming artillery. Their paths towards the small grass snake were eventually halted to a crawl, stopping entirely for a brief moment before being spun around within the leafy gale. Each turquoise orb somehow managing to absorb the color of the green leaves, their tint changing into a lovely shade of forest green while sparkling – a fact Ash thought would be appealing for Contests – before blending with the cyclone.

Somehow, the cyclone morphed into a roaring vortex of annihilation, channeling the power of the dragon's essence to further augment its destructive image. An image, to the more perceptive viewers, managed to take the form of a certain emerald dragon for a precious moment, roaring to the heavens.

The draconic maelstrom then enveloped Hydreigon without mercy, subjecting the tri-headed dragon to its own power enhanced by a furious storm. In that moment, all the beast knew was pain.

"WHOA! Would you look at that? Somehow, Snivy's attempt to redirect a furious assault by Hydreigon has resulted in a mind-blowing counterattack that managed to combine the power of Dragon Pulse with Leaf Storm! Hydreigon's really gonna feel that!" The announcer was blown away, screaming his commentary like a hyper child receiving their favorite toy for Chirstmas. If the cacophony of cheers at the display of ingenious improvisation was anything to go by, they understood the announcer's zeal perfectly.

Up in the stands, the four trainers were struck by a mix of shock and awe. Ash had already been holding his ground against a Hydreigon, but the retaliation he staged was nothing short of incredible. Even Iris and Cilan were caught off guard and they had been in the loop.

Cameron's jaw needed some assistance rising from ground level. Having expected Hydreigon to practically wipe out a good number of Ash's Pokémon with ease, seeing his secret weapon get trashed so easily was taking a massive toll on his mind.

"Huh, I thought the Leaf Storm would've just blown the orbs back," Ash murmured, curious how his improvised move worked differently than planned. He shrugged. Even if it was different, it still got results.

Besides, it was pretty awesome.

Still, it would take more than a storm to fell Hydreigon. "Snivy, get close with Vine Whip!"

Snivy closed the gap by wrapping a vine around Hydreigon's massive tail, reeling itself in to finish off the dragon. However, Cameron had managed to recover from his shock. "Quick, Hydreigon! Use Double Hit!"

Hydreigon assented by swinging its tail, eventually throwing Snivy into its line of fire, allowing the less dominant heads to smash into Snivy with uncanny speed. Despite the furious hits, Snivy still managed to retain enough clarity to wrap a vine around one of the necks.

After all, Ash told her that, aside from winning, bringing Hydreigon down was the main objective of this battle. If she succeeded, she'd help her trainer become one step closer to achieving a major victory. Her training last night had been intense, but not overly so to preserve her strength for today. Still, she wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste.

As if their minds were linked, Ash decided to unveil the beginning of Hydreigon's end. "Go for it, Snivy! Use Dragon Tail!"

Winding herself in at breakneck speeds, Snivy focused on empowering her tail. With focus, her tail began to glow a brilliant blue thanks to the power of dragons. The combined momentum of her self-propulsion and the added spin allowed her new move to deliver a heavy blow to the main head.

Ash knew he owed Iris for helping Snivy expand her moveset. Dragon Tail was made possible by having Dragonite of all Pokémon teach the small Grass-type how to manipulate Dragon-type energy. Initially, the ornery Pokémon was reluctant to work with the team especially when Iris was begging him to cooperate. It was only when Ash mentioned that he had to face a Hydreigon did the rebellious dragon change his tune. Apparently, any disdain he held towards his trainer completely overshadowed his _hatred_ for the species that made him suffer a crushing defeat.

However, learning to harness draconic energy was a monumentally difficult task. Few species that weren't of the corresponding type found controlling it to be nearly impossible without prior experience, said experience usually being on the receiving end of such moves. But luck decided to cut Ash a break as Snivy somehow held natural talent for harnessing the power more easily than expected. Possibly due to the fact that her previous trainers had a hand in granting her such potential.

While still perched on the reeling dragon, Snivy decided to be a bit more thorough in her task and launched another Dragon Tail. This time, slugging the left head at an angle, causing it to collide with the dazed main head.

At that point, the 'leader' managed to shake off its dizziness and reaffirmed itself with a furious roar. The crimson eyes it possessed somehow gave off an ominous glow, shimmering like fresh blood. All throughout its battle, the Brutal Pokémon felt its ire growing, not only at having to deal with such an unworthy opponent, but also witnessing said Pokémon easily avoiding all its attacks; all the while the accursed Snivy flexed her ego, as if to say it was the insignificant one. But it was the final attack it suffered that made something inside of it _snap_. However, all it saw was one of its own heads slamming into it. And right now, the 'leader' cared little for who it had to ravage. All that mattered was that it needed an outlet. **Now**.

Sensing the oncoming primal fury, Snivy decided to jump ship immediately.

Just as the Grass-type sprung off, chaos ensued.

Simply put, Hydreigon demonstrated just how fearsome its rage truly was. Its central head and left head locked in a vicious grudge match over the accidental collision course instigated by a meager Grass Pokémon, biting and slamming each other relentlessly. Soon after, the right head got dragged into the train wreck of a scene, cruelly assaulting the other heads as best it could from its position.

Both the trainers were beginning to pale at the sight of such brutality. Cameron was taking it especially hard, having frozen up. Was this really his Hydreigon? The Pokemon he rescued from a cave in as a Deino? How could his teammate be reduced to such a state of self-injury and uncontrolled wrath?

Ash wasn't faring much better. Though he was no stranger to intense battles and being on the receiving end of attacks from fierce Pokemon, this was making his stomach churn. He had sorely underestimated the brutality this Pokémon possessed. Trying to compare this Pokémon's head problems to that of a Dodrio was a horrible mistake.

Instead, Hydreigon had not only seemed to learn Outrage, but it had begun trying to maul itself. Far beyond what Ash had been aiming for or ever desired. The cynical part of him had been wary all throughout the match, knowing his good luck wasn't going to last. And witnessing the out of control Hydreigon mangle itself with its new move confirmed it.

 _'_ _I need to stop Hydreigon before things get worse.'_ Ash thought to himself, realizing that Hydreigon's raging had immediately changed the mood of the battle. Many of the spectators had begun to cry out in horror at the beast trying its best to tear itself apart in mindless bloodlust. Some of the younger members began to cry, wishing to wake up from the nightmare that had begun.

"Who would've thought the match would turn out like this?" Stephan mumbled uneasily, not used to such a vicious battle.

"That Hydreigon's totally out of control!" Bianca whimpered, faring no better if not worse than Stephan.

"Hydreigon, stop! This isn't like you!" Cameron cried out, pleading for his Pokemon to regain sense. Surely their bond would help end this nightmare.

Hydreigon's heads froze and slowly began to focus on its trainer. Unfortunately, it had no intention of stopping. Instead, all it recognized in its clouded mind was another target.

Ash's eyes dilated in dawning realization. "No…" He couldn't let that happen. "Snivy, Leaf Storm! Distract Hydreigon!"

Snivy, who had been transfixed by the horror before her, snapped to attention and unleashed another cyclone of energized leaves upon Hydreigon. Thankfully, her moments of inaction allowed her to regain some stamina and deliver a powerful blow.

Between the super effective damage and unintended self-destruction, Hydreigon was struggling to stay afloat. Even though Leaf Storm had become considerably less powerful, it had managed to ground the stubborn dragon. It was grounded, but not out.

But thankfully, Ash's plan to limit Hydreigon's rampage was successful as now Cameron was no longer in his Pokémon's crosshairs. Unfortunately, Snivy was once again the main target. Hydreigon tapped into Outrage's power once more with renewed fervor, fueled by natural instinct and wounded pride. It would have its revenge yet. And thus, it barreled in on foot with another Dragon Rush, its speed enhanced by unfiltered rage. This time, it crashed into its mark with incredible force.

While Snivy was struggling to regain her bearings, Hydreigon came down with a berserker combo, slamming with its heads and biting Snivy several times before smashing her with its tail into the ground.

Ash knew his emotional control wasn't great even on the best of days, and seeing one of his Pokémon on the receiving end of such a ferocious thrashing did him no favors. However, knowing he was taking part in an official League battle prevented him from rushing into the disaster zone. Instead, he pointed his Poke Ball at his battered Grass-type to bring her back, "Snivy, return!"

Just before the red beam made contact, the jagged collar of Hydreigon's lead head blocked it with another use of Double Hit, cancelling the attempted withdrawal.

Forcing his panic down, Ash attempted to return Snivy several times. But each time was met with failure as some part of the Brutal Pokémon's body intercepted the Poke Ball's red beam. And each failure resulted in Snivy enduring more harsh punishment. It tore at Ash's heart to see one of his own being subjected to such agony. It seemed the only way Hydregion would stop was if it was returned.

Returned? Of course!

Ash called out to the shell-shocked trainer, "Cameron, you have to return Hydreigon!" Sadly, his call was in vain. Cameron was stuck staring in mute horror at the carnage before him, unable to respond.

Ash grit his teeth at the situation he faced. Desperately, he called out a command hoping to save his Pokemon. "Snivy, use Attract!"

The Grass Snake Pokémon managed to fight through her injuries and launched a small flurry of pink hearts, miraculously making contact with the rampant Dragon-type.

Unfortunately, the status of attraction lasted for just a few seconds, an outline of pink energy shattering off the Brutal Pokémon's body by a more violent red glow. Hydreigon bellowed once more, its mind further twisted by the forced infatuation and its inner rage, launching another Tri Attack. The results struck like an artillery call, which blasted Snivy into a crater on the ground.

Somehow, despite the savage beating, Snivy managed to stand up. Even though her body was wracked with pain, she refused to go down without beating this beast.

It wasn't just about proving her might, her skill to the whole of Unova. Not about helping her trainer out of a serious bind. It was about making sure this beast went down. And more importantly…

Teaching it never to underestimate a Grass Pokémon.

And with that, her form became coated with blue and white energy. Her body began to double in size and length, the torso becoming more elongated and the tail more muscular.

Miraculously, the shock of evolution was enough to give the enraged Hydreigon pause. But only for a moment as it launched a Tri Attack upon the evolving Pokémon.

Luckily, the evolving Snivy, glowing an intense shade of emerald, leapt once more to dodge the destructive beams and concluded its metamorphosis with a Dragon Tail combo. Once, twice, three times the enhanced appendage slammed against the dragon's heads before being subjected to a devastating Leaf Storm, pelting it with countless leaves and gale force winds.

Knowing of the Dragon-type's unwavering tenacity, she launched her vines out to wrap around the necks of the lesser heads with crushing force, yanking herself downward for the finishing blow. With a thunderous crash, the Dragon Tail hit home upon the center head, shaking the Brutal Pokémon to its core and crushing the ground beneath it.

And with that, the three-headed Pokémon fell. The nightmare had ended.

Before the crowd of thousands was the image of a newly evolved Servine standing above an unconscious and utterly beaten Hydreigon, tired but proud with her stubby arms crossed in victory and narrower eyes sparkling in satisfaction. "Ser-vine."

Recovering quickly, the ref made the call. "Hy-Hydreigon is unable to battle, Servine wins! The victor of this match is Ash of Pallet Town!"

Slowly but surely, the crowd began to recover from their fears and cheered raucously in victory for the triumph over the berserking drake. The cheers had been louder than anything produced throughout the match, the previous cries of excitement being mere firecrackers to the explosions of noise happening now. Despite the horror they had witnessed, there was really no better way to wrap up such a pulse-pounding match than with an intense battle.

Servine merely skimmed the ecstatic crowds, her normally aloof façade replaced with a smile of pride, hearing the exaltations of the jubilant spectators filled her with a powerful sense of accomplishment. Out of every battle she had faced, this had been the most difficult of them all. Despite having suffered serious injuries and her life flash before her eyes, Servine knew she had beat the odds and defeated one of Unova's mightiest Pokémon on her own.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a camera. Knowing the battle had been broadcast all across the region, she gave the device a satisfied smirk. While she felt beyond exhausted, she couldn't help but reassure everyone out there of her skills. Especially her former trainers.

They of all people needed to know what they missed out on when she left them.

Ash rushed out onto the field, wrapping Servine into a powerful bear hug. "Servine, that was awesome! I'm glad you're okay!" Pikachu jumped in on the group hug, offering his congratulations and concerns. Her heart swelled at the feelings her friends gave her, never having experienced anything like this with her previous teams. Servine was certainly aware of Ash's flaws, but would never deny his effectiveness as a trainer. Simple as the plan was, it had been the deciding factor in their victory by playing to her strengths.

Truly, she couldn't have found a better trainer.

So of course her strength had to give out, ruining the tender moment. Before she blacked out, she heard her trainer cry out in shock.

OOOOO

Ash found himself sitting outside the emergency room, concerned for Servine's condition. He knew he should've paid more attention to her condition after the battle against Hydreigon. Thankfully, the League security had emergency teams on standby in case any Pokémon sustained extreme injuries, a case that came to be today.

With the efforts of several Audino, a Reuniclus, and a Lilligant, Servine and Hydregion had been stabilized enough for delivery to the Pokémon Center. Apparently, Reuniclus had nearly passed out twice from using Pain Split on both battlers due to the extent of wounds inflicted, and had to be restored by the Audino before continuing the process. Lilligant's Sleep Powder had to be used to quell Hydreigon who had snapped out blindly the moment it regained consciousness.

Several more minutes passed before the familiar jingle rang out. Nurse Joy exited the room with a tired look but managing a smile. "I have good news. Servine is expected to make a full recovery."

Hearing those words lifted a heavy weight from Ash's shoulders. "Really? That's great!"

"However, she isn't fit to battle anytime soon. Servine will need to sit out the rest of the League to ensure she can regain her full strength." Ash and Pikachu drooped but still remained in good spirits. Even though the prideful Grass-type was going to be bedridden, she had definitely earned her rest.

"Still, I must admit I've never seen such an incredible battle. Even if things got out of hand, you carried yourself very well, Mr. Ketchum. I wish you the best of luck for the League." Her compliment given, Nurse Joy headed off.

Before she could get far, Ash had another question. "Nurse Joy, what about Hydreigon? Is it gonna be alright?"

The nurse was surprised by the question presented to her. It was surprising to hear a trainer so concerned despite the Brutal Pokémon's hand in hospitalizing his own Pokémon. "Hydreigon is being treated in another facility. The overuse of Outrage and its own injuries required more intensive treatment. If the emergency teams had come any later, Hydregion could have faced severe consequences."

Ash knew he wasn't the brightest person, but even he caught onto the grim implications of Nurse Joy's assessment. "But it'll be alright, won't it?"

Nurse Joy sighed. "Yes, Hydreigon should return to full health. But his recovery will take more time due to everything it endured." She then fixed Ash with a stern glare. "I know you didn't mean to make Hydreigon go berserk and that it isn't your Pokémon, but take this as a lesson to never bring an untrained Pokémon into a League match (6). What happened today isn't even the worst case scenario."

On that note, the pink-haired nurse made her way to Hydreigon's facility. Figuring out that Cameron was probably freaking out over his Pokémon, Ash followed Nurse Joy.

OOOOO

Ash eventually found Cameron sitting outside the emergency room, a gloomy air residing around him. Lucario shared the same mood as his trainer, but able to maintain a better composure.

Ash felt a pit of guilt form in his stomach. At his core, he was still glad to have made it to the next round, but seeing his rival in such a depressed, nearly empty state was something he never wanted. All he wanted was to have a great battle and make sure his Pokemon weren't destroyed by Hydreigon, not to utterly crush his opponent's spirits.

"Cameron, are you…" he caught himself at the last second, "going to be all right?"

Looking up with hollow eyes, Cameron acknowledged Ash. "Oh, hey Ash. I'm just…" He looked towards the occupied medical chamber.

"I heard about what happened." Ash felt pretty awkward talking to Cameron after he knew he was at least partially responsible for the rampage. But he didn't want any bad feelings to linger. "I really hope Hydregion will be alright."

Hearing the sincerity in Ash's words brought a small smile to Cameron's face. "Thanks, Ash." Even Lucario woofed his thanks. "I just never thought something like this would happen."

The youngster gained a nostalgic look. "I've had Hydreigon with me ever since he was a Deino and I've never seen him this violent. He was pretty shy at first since he had nearly died in a cave-in. But eventually, he opened up to the team and started to have fun."

The sadness began to return to his eyes. "But when he finally evolved into Hydreigon, he started acting differently. I don't know why, but he just seemed more interested in battling. Eventually, I got the idea to have him battle my other Pokémon to keep him happy." He chuckled a bit. "It also happened to be good training for my Pokémon."

Ash nodded along at that, realizing how Cameron's team became so powerful.

Cameron was silent for a bit before continuing. "But even with all the extra battles, Hydreigon never seemed to go back to normal. Sometimes, he'd even disobey me in battle and do his own thing."

His face twisted in frustration, tears starting to form. "And now this happened. Your Pokémon got really hurt and Hydregion…"

Ash placed a hand on the rookie's shoulder, trying to comfort him. In some way, he understood Cameron's pain. After all, his first League ended on a pretty sour note.

In fact, those memories gave him an idea.

"Hey, Cameron," Ash started, giving a smile of understanding and comfort to the youngster, "let me tell you about a Pokémon called Charmander."

As Ash regaled Cameron with the tale of how he bonded with his first Fire-type, he knew he wouldn't be able to watch any of the remaining League matches. A decision like this would leave him at a bit of a disadvantage, not being able to review any special tactics used by his potential opponents.

But for now, none of that mattered. A friend needed him, and Ash Ketchum was never one to deny a friend help.

OOOOO

 **And there we go, people! What I thought would be a fairly short and comical match turned out to be much deeper and more dramatic than I expected. Granted, a lot of this was kind of made up on the spot, but I strived to keep everyone in character.**

 **Personally, I believed Ash deserved to beat Cameron. Given how ditzy Cameron was in the anime, he really shouldn't have made it into the League. Especially since Ash was a veteran trainer of five years. Long story short, Cameron wasn't endearing to me and the BW anime was a mess compared to previous seasons. But although I don't like Cameron, I wanted to avoid bashing him since bashing seems immature and just serves to channel pointless hatred.**

 **And the teleporter bit might come across as a cop-out, but it wouldn't be much of a match if Ash had access to his best fighters.**

 **Now for some of the Easter Eggs:**

 **1)** **That man was a self-insert of myself.**

 **2)** **Since Cameron had a Riolu in Unova, I went off the logic that his home was Flocessy Ranch. The only place in Unova where you can find Riolu in the wild (in Black 2 and White 2) without having to enter the Challenger's Cave.**

 **3)** **According to Bulbapedia, there was a Youngster Class trainer that could be battled from the Download Tournament "You Challenge the Isshu League Too!" to battle in Japan for Pokémon Black 2/White 2.**

 **4)** **Since Snivy never used Attract, Samurott's gender was intentionally left unknown.**

 **5)** **Riolu are stated to be able to share some of their feelings through Aura. Their control isn't as good as a Lucario, but they can get basic messages across.**

 **6)** **That was a reference to a battle in the manga "The Electric Tale of Pikachu", where Ash's Charizard goes out of control and nearly kills Ritchie's Charizard during the Indigo League. Basically, a more serious take on Charizard's disobedience.**

 **That's all I've got for now. It'll be a while before I get to Ash vs. Virgil, but I do plan on making that chapter happen. Just be patient and I'll see you next time.**

 **Until then, shine on and Happy Holidays!**

 **-BrightNova169**


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